Boulevard Noir
I was a crumb, out of a job again,
feeling fallow, hanging out with the other writers at Schwab’s.
An obsolete automobile, titanic and shiny as a new penny,
pulled up; we were slack-jawed, admiring the grandeur.
In front, a bald chauffeur; his passenger, a forgotten icon, Silent era.
She offered me a job, plus room and board.
(Around repo time, one swallows one’s pride and hides
one’s rambunctious side, replacing it with unctuous politeness.)
I approached a mansion at the address she gave me. Rang the bell;
the stately old house echoed, hollow, eerie.
Her butler took my coat and placed my fedora on the hat-rack.
Who could know that, within one month, I’d be
avoiding her embrace in the palatial garden and
waltzing her around the grand ballroom at a party
“Just for the two of us, my darling…”
And who could predict I’d end up face down her in “cement pond,”
blood lacing the water around my bobbing, lifeless body?
© 2011 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For The Sunday Whirl and at Poets United.
Sharp Little Pencil 
Debbie
Oooo, I didn’t see this coming. Neither did the victim, eh? Love your writing!
Sharp Little Pencil
Waiting to see who can guess the movie correctly. Glad you had a little surprise there… thanks, Debbie!
vivinfrance
WoW, I didn’t expect that! I loved the rhyme of rambunctious with unctuous.
Your interview over at Poetic Bloomings is a cracker, too. Bravo.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Viv. I was rather proud of that wordplay, to tell you the truth.
Glad you liked the interview… isn’t Marie good at this? Same with Sherry Blue Sky at Poets United, great style, right questions. Peace, Amy
Pat Hatt
That was a grim tale, too bad many actually have lived it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Baby, the starving writers on Hollywood. Does this remind you of a movie? Still waiting for the winner…. Amy
kaykuala
Nice verse Amy!
Hank
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Hank!
California Ink in Motion
Beautifully written. Have you seen the movie Sunset Blvd? This poem reminded me of that movie, a favorite of mine. I get this plaster off today, thank you for your thoughts. I think I will write a poem for you. Have a bright day.
Sharp Little Pencil
DING DING DING! Ladies and gentlemen (and the rest of you lot), we have a winner. Ms. LVH has correctly identified the movie from whence this poem came. So glad you recognized it, and yes, it’s one of my favorites. Cynical, biting script; Gloria Swanson was beat out by Grace Kelly at the Oscars because… Kelly appeared as a Plain Jane in “The Country Girl.” Stiff competition – Judy Garland in “A Star is Born” and Bette Davis is “All About Eve,” another fantastic screenplay.
Glad you’re getting the darned cast off. And congrats on winning my informal contest. The prize is.. um… getting your cast off!!! Amy
liv2write2day
Definitely a film noir feel to this chilling poem. Love it.
Sharp Little Pencil
Cat’s out of the bag. It’s a retelling of “Sunset Blvd.” so your instincts are right on target! Thanks, hon, Amy
Mike Patrick
I love your noir side; still, wasn’t expecting that ending. Smooth insertion of the wordle words, and they took you to a ‘different’ place. I must say, the old girl didn’t do a very good job of hiding the body. Did you notice Elly May anywhere around the cement pond?
Sharp Little Pencil
Ha ha, Ellie Mae, that’s great. No, Mike, this was “Sunset Blvd.” – a Billy Wilder classic. See the movie if you never have, and you’ll love the opening shot!
claudia
goodness what a dark piece…i didn’t see the ending coming…holy crab what a story…
Sharp Little Pencil
Claudia, this is one of the best typos I’ve ever seen, “holy crab”!! Not making fun of you at all – on the contrary, there’s something about the phrase that tickled me pink. I’m picturing a crab in the pope’s getup now, claws outstretched to bless the masses…! Some preacher’s wife, huh?!
This was based on one of my favorite movies, “Sunset Blvd.” If you have not seen the movie, Netflix it. I guarantee you’ll love it. Thanks, Amy
The Orange Tree
well thought piece.
wow.
Sharp Little Pencil
Welcome to Amyland, where all dreams come true, even the creepy ones!! Taking a Wordle and retelling Sunset Blvd. wasn’t easy, but it was a great exercise for my mind. If you don’t do The Sunday Whirl, try it. Brenda is amazingly creative. Coming your way now, Amy
Tilly Bud
I’m ready for my close-up now, Ms Barlow Liberatore!
Love it!
Sharp Little Pencil
Ha, you are the second person, I believe, to correctly identify the movie! “We didn’t neeeed voices then… we had FACES!” Amy
brenda w
Ouch! Excellent write, Amy. It reads like a television drama. The ending caught me by surprise with its intense life-ending imagery.
Sharp Little Pencil
Brenda, that’s because it’s a rewording of the old movie classic, “Sunset Blvd.” It was the Wordle words that led me to seeing images from the movie, and the hardest word was “crumb,” because that was a HUGE pejorative in our house growing up! THanks! A
wordsandthoughtspjs
Amy, haunting tale, nicely wordled. I could picture the scene.
Pamela
Sharp Little Pencil
Especially if you’ve seen the movie! And if you haven’t, put it in your Netflix queue!
MiskMask
Yow! Funny how mere words can be so graphic! A visual feast, this one. 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Hey, I only steal from the best… like Sunset Blvd.!!
pmwanken
Amy, loved the story that unfolded from these words…as usual, I am amazed at how diverse the stories can be. Here’s mine: http://whenwordsescape.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/gift-of-grace/
*hugs*
~Paula
Sharp Little Pencil
The Wordle is a powerful tool, for sure! Thanks for the link = Amy
Altonian
Damn! I got the movie straight away, but scrolling down the comments I discovered I was far too late. Very well written precis, if I may say so.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Leigh. I was amazed at how many folks were not familiar with the movie. Holden was incredible, and Nancy Olsen, in a somewhat throwaway part, was great, ditto Jack Webb in his pre-Dragnet days. But Gloria Swanson, WOW! I appreciate your comment even more because you know the movie so well!
Inside the Mind of Isadora
Great imagery … you done the film good. I never would ahve guessed it.
Sounds like this was a fun one for you to do.
Good job, Amer …
Hugs,
Izzy xoxox
Sharp Little Pencil
Izzy, glad (and not surprised) you are familiar with Sunset Blvd. Classic, classic. And yes, it was a load of fun. Once I got “obsolete” and “automobile” together, I knew where I was headed, and the “crumb” had to be Holden, LOL, his self-esteem at an all-time low in the movie’s opening scenes, being chased by car repo guys. Thanks, hon. Amer